Fujifilm has added another lens to its X-mount, this one being a low-cost Fujinon XF 35mm F2 prime. This compact lens features a nearly silent internal AF system, 9-blade circular aperture, 2 ED elements, and is sealed against moisture and dust. The FUJINON XF 35mm F2 R WR will be available in November for $399.

Also announced is a 1.4x teleconverter, which is currently only compatible with the XF 50-140mm F2.8 zoom. It will, however, be compatible with future lenses, including the XF 100-400mm super telephoto lens that we saw back at CP+. The FUJINON XF 1.4X TC WR teleconverter will arrive in December at a price of $449.

A firmware upgrade enabling compatibility with both the new lens and teleconverter will be available for current X-series ILCs on October 29th.

Press release:

FUJIFILM MAKES X-SERIES A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AT PHOTOPLUS EXPO 2015

Visitors can see and loan out the new FUJINON XF35mmF2 R WR and XF1.4 TC WR, receive free quick camera maintenance service, try INSTAX cameras, and see the Frontier-S DX100 in action

Valhalla, N.Y., October 21, 2015 – Providing the total imaging solution for photographers,FUJIFILM North America Corporation will showcase its exciting products and equipment at the PhotoPlus International Expo (Booth #836) on October 22 – October 24 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. Products include the FUJIFILM X-T1 and X-T10 mirrorless cameras, the premium FUJIFILM X100T compact digital camera, along with a newly announced weather-resistant FUJINON XF lens and X-mount teleconverter. Also on display will be the new INSTAX Mini 70 camera, and the FRONTIER-S DX100 printer with on-site demonstrations of event photography and printing. During the show, Fujifilm will also host several professional photographer lectures at the booth.

For the first time, Fujifilm will offer a free service area where X-Series owners can get a sensor cleaning and firmware update for no charge. Visitors will also be able to experience the new XF35mmF2 R WR lens and XF1.4X TC WR teleconverter for the day with a free loan program. For details on how to take advantage of the free quick maintenance, or to loan a lens or teleconverter, visit the Fujifilm Booth #836 from October 22 to October 24 during show hours.

New FUJINON XF35mmF2 R WR

The new FUJINON XF35mmF2 R WR will be added to the premium X-Series mirrorless camera lens line-up in November 2015. The XF35mmF2 R WR (53mm in 35mm format equivalent) offers a focal length with the angle of view similar to that of the human eye, and a maximum aperture of F2.0.

The FUJINON XF35mmF2 R WR gives users a superior prime lens that delivers sharp images with rich bokeh. The XF35mmF2 R WR has 9 lens elements in 6 groups (including two aspherical elements) and achieves the perfect balance of high image quality, compact size and autofocus speed as fast as 0.08 seconds. The exterior of the lens is weather and dust-resistant and can work in temperatures down to 14°F. The lens uses eight seals on the barrel to protect it from rain, dust and splashes of water when shooting outdoors. The XF35mmF2 R WR also uses an internal focus system that is combined with a stepping motor to produce quiet, accurate and fast autofocus - a must for all photographers that need to capture a spontaneous moment.

FUJINON XF35mmF2 R WR key features summary:

FUJIFILM X-Mount is compatible with all FUJIFILM X-Series interchangeable system cameras

Weather-resistant design with 8 sealing points for weather- and dust-resistance and operation as low as 14°F

The new FUJINON XF1.4X TC WR, a teleconverter extending the range of FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, will be added to the X-Series mirrorless camera lens line-up in November 2015. The XF1.4X TC WR will be compatible with select future lenses, including the FUJINON XF100-400mm lens, which is currently on the XF lens road map.

The FUJINON XF1.4X TC WR is a high-performance teleconverter capable of multiplying thi e focal length of the FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR by 1.4x, (70-200mm equivalent). Although the aperture becomes one f-stop higher when mounted, the teleconverter features an excellent optical design with a construction of 7 elements in 3 groups to maintain the optical performance of the original lens. Also, thanks to the unified design, the teleconverter is weather and dust-resistant and operates at temperatures as low as 14°F. This makes it possible to be used with confidence outdoors when used with the weather and dust-resistant X-T1 camera body.FUJINON XF1.4X TC WR key features summary:

Multiplies focal length of FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR by 1.4x

Weather-resistant design for weather- and dust-resistance and operation as low as 14°F

7 elements in 3 groups

AF speed equivalent to XF lens by itself is still achieved with the teleconverter

Camera displays and records information reflecting the change in aperture and focal length when the teleconverter is mounted.

New Firmware Fujifilm will release a new firmware update that is required for all Fujifilm X-Series camera bodies in order to provide full compatibility with the new lens and teleconverter. The firmware will be available on October 29, 2015.

Fujifilm INSTAX Mini 70 Camera PhotoPlus attendees will get to experience the thrill of instant photo gratification with the exciting new INSTAX Mini 70 camera that features an updated and sleek design, a special selfie mode and a high-performance flash that automatically calculates surrounding brightness and adjusts shutter speeds accordingly for amazing photos in an instant. After an incredible response from customers, Fujifilm is expanding the INSTAX line to give users even more options for taking instant pictures that can be shared quickly in-person and online with#myinstax.

The easy and fun INSTAX Mini 70 camera offers exciting features and enhancements, including: an improved viewfinder for enhanced subject viewing; automatic exposure and flash functions for sharp pictures, a high-key mode that enables users to take brighter photos, and a smart selfie mode that automatically adjusts settings for perfect selfies using the front-facing selfie mirror. The INSTAX Mini 70 camera also has a tripod mount for amazing up-close shots and clear landscape photos. With the Mini 70, users can count on beautiful, sharp images that are truly one-of-a-kind to instantly share with family and friends.

Fujifilm professional printing Fujifilm will demonstrate the FRONTIER-S DX100 Inkjet Printer that was developed with high print quality in mind to combine the benefits of dye-sublimation printer size, with the vivid and accurate color reproduction and deep blacks of an inkjet printer. With the FRONTIER-S DX100, photo studios, government agencies, event photographers and retailers can take advantage of its small footprint, Frontier quality printing, linear consumable pricing, variable print size and surface flexibility for maximum efficiency and profitability.

Pricing and availability The FUJINON XF35mmF2 R WR lens will be available in November 2015 for MSRP USD $399.95 \ CAD $499.99.

The FUJINON XF1.4X TC WR teleconverter will be available in December 2014 for MSRP USD $449.95\ CAD $599.99.

The INSTAX Mini 70 camera will be available in November 2015 in the U.S. in Canary Yellow, Moon White and Island Blue, for MSRP USD $139.95. INSTAX Mini Instant film is sold separately, for MSRP USD $19.95, for a double pack with 20 exposures.

The INSTAX Mini 70 camera will be available in November 2015 in Canada in Canary Yellow, Moon White and Island Blue with one 10 pack of Instax Mini film for MSRP CAD $169.99.

INSTAX Mini film is available in a twin pack of 20 prints for MSRP CAD $19.99.

Looks misplaced on the X-T1 due to the taper I think. Maybe with the supplied hood or a rubber shade it won't look like a Holga on FF. Just kidding folks. Probably buy it too, unless there will be a 33mm f1.0 sometime. It says hood supplied NO. So we'll wait and see.

I admit, although expensive and with added weight, I do really enjoy how Fujinons look and feel. They remind me of the manual focus lenses I still use on my digital Fuji.

Some of older lenses (Minolta MD, Canon FD) still produce amazing images with modern cameras, some other show they need a refresh.

How many of you would like to see more manual focus lenses, build with mechanical precision and optical perfection? No matter who will produce these - Samyang, Sigma, Fujifilm, as long as they are affordable (sorry Zeiss)?

I was blown away with what my EF 50mm F1.8 II could do on my X-E1. With how effective focus peaking is I'd love the option of well designed manual lenses. This becomes even more apparent when considering that wide angles primes need to be designed around the mirrorless sensor and with APS-C in mind.

In Zelss land I'm most envious of the Loxia lenses. Small, sharp and designed for mirrorless.

Does anyone know if the lento is included. I am afraid it's not, and that would be a first for Fuji. If not, I am passing on this one, because I find it cheap for manufacturers to charge for sth that is a) essential, and b) cheap enough to include. Moreover, almost always no one has them in stock...

I'm pretty sure it physically is incompatible. If you see how far out the middle of the teleconvertor sticks into the lens and compare that to the available room in your 56 I think you'll see the problem. No firmware will fix that.

The Fuji system is wonderful. Despite having been a RAW shooter (with both Canon and Nikon APS-C) all my life, I just love their JPEGs. But I am deterred from dipping my toe into this wonderful system because of the prices. Think about this. I can get a classic like the Canon EOS 6D and get into a full-frame system with very high value from most lenses. The 85 1.8 is just £ 200 (with cash-back) at Amazon UK, the 50 1.8 STM around £ 100 and the 28 2.8 IS USM around £ 350. The overall weight is not a lot more.

Well, both Canon lenses are slower than the Fuji equivalents which are also made of metal instead of plastic. The fuji is a more compact system with the advantage of an EVF. Also any Fuji camera will put to shame the 6D in terms of DR and noise performance.

Don Sata, need to call you out on your false (or misinformed) comments about the 6D.

I actually use a 6D professionally, and also own a Fuji X-E2, both of which do well in their own respect. The 6D is known to have excellent DR and noise performance. The RAW noise performance is better than what the X-trans sensor produces. The DR on the 6D is also better than the 5D mkIII. This isn't opinion.

As with most SLRs, the auto focus speed and accuracy has a big advantage over any mirrorless. This is especially true for fast-moving subjects and low light. And, no, shooting long lenses isn't the 'only real advantage' of the camera over a Fuji X. That's just a nonsensical statement.

@ Don Sata - I ditto everything WayneHuangPhot said because I have the Canon 6d and used the XT-1 system for about a year. I ended up selling my entire XT-1 system with lens: 35mm f1.4; 23m f1.4; 56mm f/1.2... Reasons: poor battery life compared to FF; EVF does not work well with transition lenses, especially outdoors...I shot strictly indoors with the XT-1. Color rendition is only good for skin tone and not much of anything else; slower speed; too much DOF and too expensive compared to lenses of similar focal length and aperture. I'm much happier with the 6D...BTW, I also had the x100s and still own the D750 & D810...this is based on my personal experience with all these systems. For me, no more APS-C....

@ Nilangsu - I would recommend you get the Canon 6D; I got mine for $1100 when Adorama had a sale. I have the 50mm f1.8 STM; 35mm f/2 IS; 85mm f/1.8; they are the best combo for a FF system. IQ is superb...w/the 35mm f/2 IS, I was able to shoot at 1/4 of sec hand held @ ISO 12800 in almost pitch dark environment and still being able to get a decent picture shooting RAW; the X-series can produce good pix up to around ISO 3200....To be quite honest, the Fuji X series is exceptional for it's class; I can't think of any other APS-C system that can match it in terms of build quality, size, and array of lenses; however, it's no match for a FF when it comes to speed, color rendition among other things...this new XF 35mm f/2 looks dead gorgeous I must say though.

I have used a Canon 6D and the image quality is superior to any Fuji camera. Noticeably less noise and better dynamic range. However, I like to travel light. A small Fujfilm camera body with one or two native primes still gives me excellent image quality, but in a small and lightweight package. Also, I like to shoot with Fuji cameras, because they 'feel' better in my hands. I like the ergonomics and functionality. The electronic shutter makes the camera totally silent. An important feature for me. However much I liked the output of the Canon, it didn't have that nor a tilting display. Finally there's the color rendering. I think the Canon looks fine, but I prefer the colors I get from a Fuji. It's a personal choice.

Technically, a teleconverter can be used with any lens, but Fuji, like other lens manufacturers, falls into the old trap: charges too much and ends up selling very little; and because sells very little, has to charge too much. This vicious circle destroys the fun of photography, what is bad for everybody, customers and manufacturer.

Not this design, notice how the 'front element' sticks way out .. you're not going to be too happy when you crush it against one of your lens's rear element. So far only the 50-140mm is designed to be compatible with it.

They were going to sell very little of them in any case, and that is one thing that makes anything relatively expensive. But everybody overcharges for accessories, no fun indeed.

You are right. The way the teleconverter was designed, it is a very specialized item to be used with an expensive zoom lens. The assembly lens + teleconverter costs more than $ 2,000, which will not attract many buyers. A smarter attitude by Fuji would be to dispatch the teleconverter with the zoom lens without additional charge, as some manufacturers have done in similar cases.

I'll admit, that's one thing that has annoyed me about my mirrorless cameras. Lenses that are many times quite a bit more expensive than their equivalent full frame or APS-C DSLR lenses. However, this particular lens is probably just about right for the pricing. It's well made, great optical quality, very good AF and weather sealed. I would be ok paying $399 for this one.

Goodness that is an expensive teleconverter. Fuji lenses have excellent build quality, but wow, $399? I'm glad I am selling my Fuji X-E1 and zoom lenses, and switching to a cheaper system (Samsung). I just could not afford to keep Fuji, just for a hobby.

Its not a bad thing, it just means that outside air is restricted from circulating the lens, keeping it cleaner. Also, this means lower condensation impact - also good. If it is not expensive to achieve, I do not mind all current lenses receive WR and AF improvements

Nice! Now WR for 23mm and 56mm WR or 60mm macro WR and the "rainy day" line-up is complete. Nice to be able to have this one in the small bag with the 16mm WR and 90m WR, or to be able to go out bagless, with just 35 WR and XT1 all through the Belgian winter without a worry. This is going to be fun, and something I cannot do as easily with any other system in my collection. Thank you Fuji!

This is definitely a beauty. The silver version looks even more classic, just like a Leica lens. However, the price is on the high side because the DOF is at around f/3 to a FF 35mm equivalent. Not the best for isolating your subject. WR is absolutely a plus. Couple with the XT-1 and you are ready to conquer any unexpected conditions...

DOE does not change in any format, technically yes.But, let see if you shoot a portrait. With a small sensor, you have to move out further away from your model. Longer distance = wider DOF.Hope you got it.

Never mind a weather-sealed x-mount, fixed focal length lens. Biggest weather threat is changing lenses in a harsh environment. For this reason, I want the Fuji- X mount 10-24mm and all their other zooms to be weather-sealed for my landscape and hiking trips! I have a hard enough time just keeping my sensor clean - while changing lenses - in good weather...

Thanks for the reminder - this is indeed a very good, WR lens! However, I still need wider! So far, only Canon, Sony, and Nikon have addressed this issue in ultra-wides - mostly in FX lenses. Fuji has the opportunity here to create a clear advantage over other DX/aps-c sensor lenses, including Sigma, Tokina, and Tamron. I cannot find any weather-sealed DXultra-wides for any of these manufactureres...

Thanks for the link. Pretty great results - I'll surely order one. (I love the sharpness of my 27mm so I don't want anything worse. This new lens seem to match the 27mm at least not in the extreme corners. But the latter aren't important for me as I mostly shoot panos, where the pano stitcher just throws away everything around the edges.)

Clearly you're just a gearhead. Sorry, but, *pentax* lenses? You'd be very lucky to find one that is well-centered and the variation is HIGH. Not to mention only few Pentax lenses actually have good optics/resolution. I used to be a Pentax user and I still keep some lenses (limiteds and MF). The new DA zooms are mostly meh. Fuji may not have too many OIS and WR lenses, but most of the lenses in the line up are excellent. Totally different class. So yeah you're good in pure statistics. I give you that ;)

@kewlguy;how long has it been since you have bought a Pentax lens? Lately it seems they dont have centering issues. I've recently acquired 50mm f1.8 and 35 f2.4 and had no problems with those lenses, even the kit wr18-55 was perfectly centered.

Being FF for starters makes your overweight and overpriced Fuji seem pointless. Oh and the Sony can crop to higher output than the Fuji and doesn't require a TC that adds extra cost and time to put the TC on, just switch to APS-C and go or better yet crop in post. Sony has zero shutter shake too. Oh wait you are next going to tell me of the superiority of X-Trans... Keep going, it is amusing me.

DOF control is not the only advantage- though it is nice to have that option. You also get more DR, which is a plus at any F-stop for high contrast scenes. And generally speaking, the lower linear resolution demands of FF render sharper photos than APS-C. If you look at the same lens on an APS-C and FF body, 9 times out of 10 the FF body will yield higher acutance.

Fuji doesn't need to go FF. Sony's new 24MP sensor configured in their color array would probably do wonders. APS-C today handily exceeds sensor IQ of FF sensors from ~4-5 years ago, and they have the lens map to take advantage of such sensors.

Really... Pentax survived the Pentax is doomed outcry for lacking FF for such a long time and I think Fuji will too. The only problem here is that Fuji will need to redesign their lenses to cover the FF image circle. The advantage of Pentax for this one is that the K-mount itself is a FF mount from the get go.

In the context of equivalency, bigger (sensor) is better for $$$. Far easier to make a 35/2.8 that can resolve to ~40lp/mm and cover a FF image circle than a 24/2 that resolves to ~60lp/mm or a 17.5/1.4 that resolves to ~80lp/mm. Now granted you will pay the price in size and weight, and it's not 1:1, but nothing comes free.

Although the kit and great lens XF 18 - 50 was fuji trick to attract new buyers to the brand i think this lens will kill every prime from 18 mm to 50 mm. Fuji you should discontinue this kit if you want to sell this new lens.

I really like how Fuji is fleshing out it's lens lineup, they're a bit expensive compared to my M4/3 stuff (nevermind older FF lens designs and models), but there's certainly plenty of options. A weather sealed prime (that's not a fisheye or a macro) is like the *one* thing I'm still hoping for within M4/3, we already have sooo many choices around 28-60mm equivalent tho, seems unlikely...

Small, light, fast focussing 35mm lens? Yeah pretty sure there are some options in E-Mount, like 4 of them to be exact. The Sony one even has OSS and 1/3 stop faster. THIS is not the example to use to show Sony how it's done.

I think you'll find thata) many people who own a Fuji are very happy with APS-C because they see it as the perfect balance between size and IQ.b) people who don't own a Fuji often cry "Fuji, please make a FF!" (no offence meant).

I seriously wonder how many of those non-Fuji owners claiming "please make a FF" would actually end up buying one. There's plenty of FF systems out there, but arguably no APS-C system as good as Fuji's.

Description error — not Nano GI. Lenses which have the Nano GI coating generally say "NANO GI" on the lens, rather than "SUPER EBC". The pictures clearly show the latter. And the press release at Fujifilm has no such mention. Perhaps an error crept into an early release of the specifications.

Reichmann had an article about how the Sony guys really love photography, talking about "Photo Flow" (he didn't even get that right; it's Photo-Flo.) But from what I see, Fuji is a camera company, and thus can draw from an understanding of classic cameras. Sony is about electronics, chips and gadgets. And it shows in their cameras.

@ AbrasiveReducer: Yep and it really shows, all these 'photographic' companies that use tired old hardware all the time or rely on someone else to make it for them, someone such as an electronics company. Leica, Canon, Fuji are all in this boat.

"Sony is an electronics/gadget company" is an old argument. Sony has been a leader in Videography and with Minolta's heritage and Zeiss is as much about photography than the other mirrorless brands. I switched from Fuji to Sony, not because of the sensor, but because of usability. Changing basic exposure on the X-T1 takes two hands (ISO dial, shutter speed dial etc...) and a significant amount of time if you have to change the settings fast. Sometimes Fuji's retro style gets into the way of functionality and speed of operation. Yes, Fuji understands retro-styling, but Fuji doesn't understand photography better than other brands.

Check this out Marty. It's better than I thought it would be. It certainly beats the older f/1.4 version. There's no substitute for speed of course, but if you can live with the one stop difference, you get an excellent performer.

Nice looks, on the X-T10 it looks really retro. In my opinion this is the right way to make mirrorless lenses: small, so that they fit nicely on a light CSC bodies, but still reasonably fast (f2 is still pretty fast, 1 EV faster than "fast zooms").However we have to say a comparable DLSR lens costs half the price (or less), so overpriced (as usual with mirrorless lenses).

Yes, the weather sealing is unique, but does it really cost 200 or more bucks? My Pentax 35mm costs some 130$, so is the weather sealing worth 270$? not saying WR is not useful, on the contrary, just saying its a little expensive for what it is (according to Fuji a low-cost prime, a cheaper alternative to 35mm/1,4).

John: the trouble is there are not many equally priced peers, most 35mm primes are much cheaper. OTOH all XF lenses are great so I do not expect sub-par performance either (especially given the fact it is only medium-fast).

Still double the price compared to Nikon's Nikkor 35/f1.8G DX, which is also splash proof sealed. The Nikkor is sharp, has aberratons, inconsistent in AF and its out-of-focus bokehis on the rough side.

Not happy for having to downgrade for F2.0 to get better bokeh and IQ from the F1.4 version...

All new Nikkor lenses have a sealing rubber rings on their mounts and they are painted with textured paint that looks like tiny droplets. This is how you tell a lens is *generally* moisture sealed. Lenses that are explicitly stated as weaher resistent, represent more professional grade that will allow you to shoot in more adverse conditions like rain.

The Nikon lens you describe whilst optically fine is built to a price point and feels that way. It isn't weather sealed either.

If previous Fuji lenses are an indication I'd expect better optical performance, high build quality, and full weather sealing so it was always going to cost more than a budget Nikon lens. Fuji lenses may seem expensive but the quality is very high and the feel / build quality in the hand is as good if not better than Nikon and Canon's pro lenses. As an erstwhile (and still occasional) Nikon shooter I find the pricing of their pro lenses genuinely too high for what's on offer, with the exception of the 14-24mm.

Nikon says nothing regarding their WR. In this regard - we cannot compare apples to apples. Second - I had some Nikkors before switching to Fujifilm. And yes, Fujinons are overpriced for what they are. Some of Nikkors are too, but most primes are OK, you you do not go after these Nano coated F1.4s. They are plastic, so what? Drop a metal Fujinon on the floor and see if survives.

More than that - I still use film gear. When maintained well, almost all gear will serve you lifetime. My Yashica is built around 1958.

New gear is not made to last, it is made to use it for couple of years and then buy a new one. Do you think your all metal fuji lenses will last forever? Nope because they are packed with electronics that will eventually fail in 10 years. And since most Fujinons focus electronically, well, they are a writeoff.

I also have 27/2.8 pancake that has some particles in it and my Nikkor 35DX was always clean. This lens can hardly be opened for cleaning the way a Nikkor lens, old or new, can.

And in my country, one cannot rely on the repair support of the local representative for Fuji. So, no matter how do I love this system, it is not the best investment for money.

I am hoping that IBIS is coming to the next generation of Fuji bodies. My experience of the XF 18-55mm is that the zooms give away too much image quality compared to the primes, and all of the lenses can be a bit smaller by not having OIS. I wouldn't want to carry around the 16mm or 56mm if they were any bigger and I might as well just get a 'full frame' camera.

Ois on a slow zoom still leaves you incapable of freezing action. (people walking down the road require 1/100s) And a f/4 lens has 2 stops less than the f/2 and even 3 stops (8x faster shutter speed) compared to the f/1.4.

While it would've been handy for the rare ocasion you need more than iso 3200, it would've driven up size, weight and price.. Which was not the aim of this lens.

I agree about IBIS. That would be great if it ever comes. I had the same issue with the Sony NEX bodies / small primes. For my city/landscape shots OIS more important than F2, but I can see this lens may have its uses for other situations. I found the IQ of the 18-55 so close to the 27mm that the latter didn't get used that much. Of the course the 35mm here might be better.

i usually am taking pictures of people, so IS has never really been all that useful for me. fast lenses and/or good high-iso performance are all that's going to help you there, and i've been very happy with fuji's lens and sensor performance in these two domains.

photominion - I'm 65 and can no longer reliably hand-hold at less than 1/150. There is a large group of people for which OIS has nothing to do with people walking or freezing action or slow/fast glass or the focal length. It's a way of getting a clear photo when the camera is shaking.

"It's a weather sealed 35mm lens with multiple special glass elements and perfectly sharp wide open."Come on, the lens has just been announced, you obviously haven't tested it yourself yet, and there aren't even any reviews out there, so let's not get all fanboyish by making up some qualities that the product might not even have. When it's released and tested we'll see how good it's wide open, but until then..

I like that it's weather sealed, pretty much the only real advantage this one has over the competition: it seems like no one else has yet made a weather-sealed "normal" prime that doesn't cost a fortune (and weighs a kilo). The downsides is as usual with Fuji - expensive for what it is. Expensive cameras, expensive lenses.. 35/2 might be weather-sealed and more or less affordable, but then the only weather-sealed camera to use this lens with is X-T1, which is still too expensive - it costs exactly as much as a full-frame A7, so not that easy to justify going with Fuji.

It's been "reviewed" by someone from the "advertising machine", cause the only people that have access to this lens at the moment are the ones that received it directly from Fuji for promotional purposes and they are expected to write favorable "first impressions" (why the hell send them products before the ofifical release otherwise? These shills write mostly good stuff about the gear they receive, or they just stop receiving it and their blog/site/magazine starts losing visitors/money).

Don't get me wrong, it might be an excellent lens, but reading those "(p)reviews" now seems like a waste of time. When it hits the stores and "real people" start buying and testing it, then we'll see how good it is, how good the quality control is and so on. Until then it's just speculation and advertising.

"If Fuji wanted advertisement, wouldn't they've told him to compare with other offerings instead of killing sales on another product in their lineup?"No, that would be too obvious and even not the brightest readers out there might start feeling like they're being brainwashed. Right now Fuji needs to sell another 35mm lens that is one stop slower, yet it costs the same amount of money and its weight and size are also very close to their 1.4 lens. They've sold a lot of those 35/1.4 lenses already, the design has payed off for itself, so now it's time to sell another 35mm lens and it has to be hyped before - presented as superior than the older one. So all the fans and gearheads will place a shitload of preorders, ravish the first few batches from the stores and bring tons of money to the manufacturer. Then, in a few months, the dust will settle, and the 1.4 will start selling well again - those who need that extra stop more than some extra sharpness will be buying it just fine.

Just to be clear, this new 35/2 lens is probably a very good one. I'm simply saying it's a waste of time to read all those "previews" which are basically glorified ads. It's happened many times before - when those bloggers/(p)reviewers posted extremely positive stuff about a new camera or lens, and then, a few months later, real users start discovering that the super great high-res A7R, for example, won't give you all that high-res in many cases because of the vibrations from its faulty shutter, and that new lens that was described as super sharp and all, often suffers from poor quality control and doesn't perform nearly as well as the golden samples sent to the reviewers... Until the product is available in stores and enough people have purchased and used it, there's just no way to judge how good it really is.

"Please only compare the retail prices at launch and not the street price vs retail!"Why?! The only price that matters to customers is the one they can get the product for. That's street price. No one in their right mind thinks like: "ok, what should I buy, a new 35/1.4 for $395 or a new 35/2 for $399? Well, 35/1.4 is actually $4 cheaper than the new slower 35/2. But wait, that's the actual money I'll pay, who cares about the actual money, I better think in terms of some theoretical MSRP or something cause that's the right thing to do. I've no fricking idea why, but photominion says so and that's how I'm gonna be thinking from now on". :)

New 35/1.4 sells for $395-400 on ebay, that's with free worldwide shipping. And the new 35/2 is on preorder only for $399 everywhere. So the actual price for these 2 lenses is the same at the moment. What's it gonna be in January? I don't know — we'll talk about it in January, but it's October now and these 2 lenses cost the same at the moment.

Why compare prices of stuff that you can't even buy yet? It's just "preorder at MSRP" now, not ready to pick up in the store.

In Australia, you currently get 200 $ off on Fuji lenses, in the US of fugging A they just finished a "discount offer" only to start a new one right away.And in Switzerland it's cheapest anyways..

Preorder is msrp.. That's for stu#id impatient people only!Wait till release and you get the common discounts and street prices and yes, the f/2 will sell much cheaper than 399 right after launch.Especially on eBay.

Note that I was responding to DPReview's claim of "this one being a low-cost Fujinon XF 35mm F2 prime", i.e. without the qualifiers of the lens being metallic and weather-sealed and having a silent motor. For what the lens actually is, this may very well be cheap. But DPReview was implicitly comparing it to all other APS-C 35mm F2 lenses, including the ones that are plasticy and noisy and what-have-you.

I also would like Sony/Zeiss to bring out some more lightweight & compact F2 or F1.8 AF Full Frame prime series. They have Sony 28 F2, 55 F1.8, Zeiss Batis 25 F2 & 85 F1.8 already, so I guess more will follow ... I'm currently with Nikon gear (D750 based), but if Sony FF system can prove its system with significantly more lightweight & compact primes, I would be interested to switch over time. However, I expected the Sony primes for mirrorless to be significantly more lightweight & compact. When I compare the 4 AF primes I listed above, they are all similar in weight & size to the Nikon F1.8 prime series. To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed about that till now. OK right, the lens diameter is more compact, but that is the least important parameter for me personally since it is small impact on the bag size. And if you attach the lens to the body, it even has no impact on the bag size at all.

I still hope Sony/Zeiss can find a way to do it though. Ie the weight & size of the Zeiss Loxia's 35 & 50mm look really more attractive, but unfortunately they are MF only :( Currently, I have way too much benefit of my AF primes to even consider MF.

About this Fuji 35mm F2, if the quality appears to be OK, it looks like a great lens to me. Imagine, 170 grams, its super featherlight for an AF lens ... Fuji owners should be very excited about this, certainly because it might be the start of a complete F2 / F1.8 series.

I already have the 35mm F1.4 which is pretty compact, so won't be rushing out to buy this. I would think of it more as a replacement should something happen to my 35mm, and I hope it is an optically corrected design like the better Fujinon primes.

It is however a great proof of concept, as the M.Zuiko F1.8 primes show how neat and compact mirrorless can be and I've been rather envious. Like others I'd like to see more F2 primes to choose from, in particular at 16mm and 56mm.

Actually, one reviewer states that it is NOT optically corrected for barrel distortion like the 35/1.4, but instead a digital correction profile is appled to the RAW file (http://www.fujirumors.com/first-look-fujifilm-xf35mmf2-r-wr/). Doesn't seem to matter though, since image quality seems to be stellar (as usual)

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